Clippers love their board game

April 21, 2013

Updated 1:17 p.m.

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The Clippers' Ronny Turiaf (21) takes a rebound away from Ed Davis (32), Quincy Pondexter (20) and Marc Gasol (33) of the Memphis Grizzlies during a 112-91 Clipper win during Game One of the Western Conference Quarterfinals on Saturday at Staples Center. Harry How, Getty Images

The Clippers' Ronny Turiaf (21) takes a rebound away from Ed Davis (32), Quincy Pondexter (20) and Marc Gasol (33) of the Memphis Grizzlies during a 112-91 Clipper win during Game One of the Western Conference Quarterfinals on Saturday at Staples Center. Harry How, Getty Images

PLAYA VISTA – If one expected the Clippers to come out of Sunday's practice with their chests out after a dominating Game 1 win, that'd be wrong.

While the Clippers weren't celebrating after a 21-point victory Saturday at Staples Center, they weren't ignoring their triumph on the boards.

In the victory, the Clippers pulled down 47 rebounds. Memphis pulled down just 23.

During the regular season, the Grizzlies were one of the league's top rebounding teams, grabbing 52.2 percent of all missed shots. The Grizzlies also were the league's second-best offensive rebounding team, trailing only Denver.

But Saturday, the Grizzles couldn't get anywhere near the glass, particularly on the offensive end where they grabbed just four rebounds.

While Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan combined to grab 13 rebounds, their work on Memphis' Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol had a huge impact on the game.

"They played great," Caron Butler said. "Their energy and effort shows on tape. Sometimes you get the hockey assist for points and rebounds. There are things that don't show up in the stat sheet. They were doing all the little things that really matter."

Neither Randolph nor Gasol were able to grab a single offensive rebound Saturday.

"We were able to control that last night," Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said." That's obviously going to be a factor in the whole series."

Griffin scored just 10 points in the win, hitting 3 of 9 from the field. But he knows he might have to sacrifice his numbers while engaged in battle with Randolph.

The two players fought and scrapped, with Griffin fouling out and Randolph picking up five fouls.

"You'd love to still be that productive, but to keep somebody off the glass, to wrestle with him like that, you're not going to be involved in as many plays," Griffin said. "It's my job to keep him off the glass and have everyone else go and rebound.

"...It's tough, but the good thing about it is that we're both doing the same thing. As long as it's pretty evenly officiated, we both have to worry about that."

Three points

The Clippers used an interesting three-guard lineup Saturday, with Paul joined on the floor by Chauncey Billups and Eric Bledsoe.

"I love it," Paul said. "I think it gives us a very interesting dynamic in that anyone of us can bring the ball up the court. Me and Bled are going to be the two hawking the ball and trying to get steals."

The unit caused problems for Memphis and allowed the Clippers to get out into transition.

"Bled is one of the best guards in our league. I've said it all season long, I'm enjoying playing with him now because there's no way he can be here next year because we probably won't have enough money to pay him," Paul said. "He's a starting point guard in this league next year."

Moving on

The next challenge for the Clippers is to do all of this over again Monday night in Game 2 at Staples Center.

"You have to have the same mindset, play with the same intensity," Paul said.

Sunday, the Clippers watched film of Saturday's victory, making subtle adjustments and tweaks while preparing for possible adjustments from the Grizzlies.

"You're never going into a game knowing what you're going to do," Paul said. "You have to be ready to change and make adjustments."

Notes

Del Negro said the Clippers have to do a better job containing Memphis sub Jerryd Bayless. Bayless led the Grizzlies with 19 points. ...Griffin said the 112-91 final score wasn't indicative of the entire game Saturday. "That game was closer than the score showed," he said. "We know we have to get better, and we know areas where we can get better." ...Paul suffered a minor thigh bruise Saturday, but Del Negro said the injury wasn't serious.

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